Solutions For Boxelder Bugs This Fall

Almost inarguably, a pest that you may see this fall here in Tennessee is the boxelder bug. These small (about ½ inch) winged insects are black with red markings. You may be tempted to think that they just suddenly appeared out of nowhere on or in your home, but that is not true. These little bugs spend the warmer months of the year hanging out in boxelder, maple, ash, cherry or other seed-bearing trees where they eat the sap from the leaves, shoots, and seeds of these trees.

So why the sudden rush toward your home in fall? It’s really quite simple. Heat! They don’t want to be left out in the cold and are looking for a nice, warm home to move into to while away the cooler winter months in relative comfort and security. This really isn’t much trouble since they do not spread diseases to people; well, as long as you don’t mind the red stains they will leave throughout your home on items such as curtains, drapes, furniture, and clothing. Oh, yes, and the sheer number of these pests. Sure, it may begin with just a few, but these little insects will seem to explode practically overnight as those ‘few’ turn into countless crawling bugs.

There are a few things you can do to make your home less inviting to boxelder bugs such as:

• Make sure all your screens are in good working order; no tears, holes, or gaps

• Install door sweeps on exterior doors

• Fill gaps found in foundations with caulking

• Keep vents covered with screening

• Be sure to use chimney caps

• Check utility entrances to be sure there are no gaps around them

• Enjoy year-round pest control services from All-American Pest Control

You may think that you can just run to the store and grab a spray and all of your pest issues will disappear, but that simply isn’t the case. Sure, you may kill a few bugs that happen to come into contract with the spray, but the majority of them will survive. These sprays cannot penetrate deep into wall voids where the bulk of these insects typically hang out waiting for spring. This supposed remedy also does nothing to address the underlying factors that caused the boxelder bugs (and others) to access your home in the first place.

For complete and effective relief from a boxelder bug infestation (or any other pest infestation, for that matter), contact the pest experts here at All-American Pest Control. Our highly trained professionals know boxelder bugs, and can help protect your home from them. Better yet, you can utilize our year-round pest protection services and avoid pest infestations altogether. We offer both conventional and green pest control solutions. To find out more about the amazing, effective pest control solutions here at All-American Pest Control, give us a call today.